Norway has experienced a quiet culinary revolution in recent years. The change in attitude towards Norwegian food traditions has been formidable with a rise in local and organic produce and food. Norwegian gastronomy is both modern and untraditional.
More and more local products can be found in supermarkets, while small-scale producers of cheese, honey, pastries, beer and ecologically produced meats are popping up all over Norway.
Johnny Trasti from Trasti & Trine restaurant in Alta, Finnmark, moved back to his childhood home after having worked as chef for the Norwegian Prime Minister for several years, cooking for international guests around the world. The Norwegian chef explains his relationship with the surrounding landscape and local produce, and describes Arctic cuisine, the wilder sister of Nordic cuisine.
The Norwegian chef provides some insights on Arctic cuisine from the northermost regions in Norway.
How does an Arctic cuisine restaurant actually work?
“We have 3 chefs and 3 apprentices and our own bakery and a greenhouse. We are an eco-certified restaurant, and we try to take care of the environment. We don’t use any farmed proteins for example – almost everything we use is collected by locals. We are proud every time we can create dishes from the trees or grass and when we get to utilize the waste from our kitchen.”
What is so unique about Northern Norway when it comes to creating dishes that reflect the landscape?
It is easy to be inspired when you are living in the nature and you have all kinds of weather – and at least four seasons. The surrounding landscape will always inspire me, and I’m always looking for new ways of eating and creating new tastes. For me, it is outside, out in the nature where my creative works come from.”
Tell us more about the relationship with the local producers, how they are involved and passionate about their collaboration.
“We have many local producers from potato farmers to game hunters and they are extremely important to us, for our credibility and for our stories. But it has taken me at least 20 years to find all of them.”
Do you have a recommended recipe from Northern Norway?
“There will never be a favourite, as it always depends on the ingredients of today. Today we got our first spinach, yesterday we got fresh trout from the ice fishers. But I probably have most respect for the ptarmigan, which lives in temperatures from +30 C to -40 C. It has an incredible taste from the areas around us.”
Which are your favorite places to find the best or most unique ingredients?
“When you find good mushroom places it is always heaven! There are so many unique ingredients here, such as birch syrup, king crab tail, snow crab, small scallops, heart and liver of wild birds and hare.”
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